Electrical fire destroys Fairhaven home

FAIRHAVEN — Officials at NStar are investigating whether an electrical fire that destroyed a Washington Street home Tuesday night may have been caused by undetected storm damage to the home's electrical service, according to fire and utility spokesmen.

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By CURT BROWN

southcoasttoday.com

By CURT BROWN

Posted Feb. 21, 2013 at 12:01 AM
Updated Feb 21, 2013 at 4:04 PM

By CURT BROWN

Posted Feb. 21, 2013 at 12:01 AM
Updated Feb 21, 2013 at 4:04 PM

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FAIRHAVEN — Officials at NStar are investigating whether an electrical fire that destroyed a Washington Street home Tuesday night may have been caused by undetected storm damage to the home's electrical service, according to fire and utility spokesmen.

Mike Durand, a NStar spokesman, said the company is conducting a review of its records and the observations of a NStar worker who shut off the electricity after the fire at 204 Washington St. "in an effort to gain a better understanding of what happened."

A home's electrical service is the wire from the pole to the house and the connection where it attaches to the house and goes down to the meter socket, he said.

Wayne Oliveira, the public information officer for the Fairhaven Fire Department, identified the electrical service as the source of the fire, but said the exact cause remains under investigation.

Homeowners Bob and Donna Westgate were going to bed at about 9 p.m. when they heard arcing, smelled smoke and lost power, according to Oliveira.

The Westgates called 911 and safely evacuated with their mastiff and chocolate Labrador dogs, meeting firefighters outside.

By that time, there was heavy smoke and fire in the walls as the blaze quickly spread throughout the house, Oliveira said.

"We must have had angels getting us out of the house," Donna Westgate said Wednesday.

"It's a blessing that we're alive."

They said they had not experienced any electrical problems before the fire. They added they are staying with family and trying to find a place that will accept pets.

The fire caused an estimated $200,000 worth of damage to the house's first and second floors, attic and roof, according to fire officials.

No one was injured.

The photo caption with this story was updated on Feb. 21, 2013, to reflect the following correction:

A photo caption in an earlier version of this story incorrectly indicated that NStar had blamed exterior faulty wiring for a house fire in Fairhaven. The company is investigating whether the wiring is a possible cause for the fire.